Ratchet wrench device for use on nuts or bolts in normally inaccessible locations



Nov. 10, 1953 Filed Sept. 5, 1952 A. J. DUERKSEN 2,658,416 RATCHET WRENCH DEVICE FOR USE ON NUTS OR BOLTS IN NORMALLY INACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet l 39 7 Abraham Duerkseh 5 INVENTOR.

, 2 BY -mm Nov. 10, 1953 A. J. DUERKSEN 2,658,416

RATCHET WRENCH DEVICE FOR USE cw NUTS OR BOLTS IN NORMALLY INACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS Filed Sept. 5, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 8 38 5:1 32 n: .30 1 28 24 40 4/ 7 \I' I Abra/r am J. Duerksen IN V EN TOR.

Nov. 10, 1953 A. J. DUERKSEN RATCHET WRENCH DEVICE FOR USE ON NUTS OR BOLTS IN NORMALLY INACCESSIBLE LOCATIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 5, 1952 Abra/ram J. Duerksen IN VEN TOR. BY @waoifih. I onl Ammq:

Patented Nov. 10, 1953 RATCHET WRENCH DEVICE FOR USE ON NUTS OR BOLTS IN NORMALLY INAC- CESSIBLE LOCATIONS Abraham J. Duerksen, Bridgeport, Nebr., assignor of one-half to George A. Duerksen, Alliance,

Nebr.

Application September 5, 1952, Serial No. 308,031

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in ratchet wrenches for use especially by linemen in turning nuts on binding bolts on the poles and cross-arms carrying high voltage distribution and transmission lines.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a ratchet wrench which is easy to place, without groping, over the nuts of the horizontal bolts of such cross-arms, especially when, as is frequently the case, the bolts project for several inches outwardly through the nuts.

Another object is to provide a ratchet wrench which is easy to place over the nuts of such projecting bolts and which will not slip off the nuts under the strain of tightening the nuts.

Another object is to provide a ratchet wrench having the above advantages and which is designed for also tightening, easily and quickly, underarm nuts on vertical bolts on such crossarms, as Well as nuts on the horizontal projecting bolts.

Still another object is to provide a wrench for turning the nuts of horizontal bolts on the crossarms, or the like, and which is operative with an up and down pumping or oscillating action.

Still another object is to provide a wrench of the type specified which is easy to handle, safe, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and use.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understoodL when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation illustrating my improved ratchet wrench in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View of the same illustrating the manner in which the Wrench is operated with an up and down pumping, or oscillating action;

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged View in longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l with the ratchet wrench unit detached;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view in perspective of the cap sleeve;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view in rear elevation of the ratchet wrench unit;

Figure 7 is a view in front elevation of the same;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the same;

Figure 9 is a further enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation of the head and parts therein with the keeper plates removed;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the line IB-IB of Figure 7 and illustrating in detail the normal position of the pilot sleeve;

Figure 11 is a similar View illustrating the manner in which the pilot sleeve is slid rearwardly and guides the ratchet wheel over a nut on the horizontal projecting bolt; and

Figure 12 is a view in perspective of the pilot sleeve.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention, the insulated stick, or pole, I of a linemans wrench having on one end thereof coaxially of the pole, the conventional deep throat socket wrench 2 for turning underarm nuts, is provided on its other end 3 with a ratchet wrench unit designated generally by the numeral 4.

The ratchet wrench unit 4 comprises a straight shank 5 of any suitable form having a rear end 6 attached to the end 3 of said pole I, by means presently described, and provided at its other end with an enlarged, flaring, flat head I. The head I is provided with a circular central opening 8 and a relatively smaller arcuate opening 9 in the longitudinal center of the head, the openings communicating for a purpose presently seen. The head I extends sidewise, in a plane parallel with the axis of the pole I.

A ratchet wheel It with the usual polygonal, nut-receiving opening II therein is fitted in the opening Ill for rotation therein, and a pawl I2 is rotatably mounted, as presently described, in the opening 9 for dogging the ratchet wheel Ill. The pawl I2 is rotatably settable into either of two positions about its axis for engaging either of a pair of teeth I3, I4 thereon with said ratchet Wheel II] to prevent rotation of said wheel in opposite directions, selectively. A conventional spring-pressed ball I5 in the head I for engaging a pair of recesses I6, I! in said pawl spaced circumferentially of its axis, provides detent means for yieldingly locking said pawl I2 in set position.

To retain the ratchet wheel I0 and pawl I2 in the openings 8, 9, said openings are provided with internal flanges I8, I9 at what constitutes the rear side of the head I, and a pair of keeper plates 20, 20 are countersunk in the front side of said head I to overlap the adjacent edges of said ratchet wheel I and cover the pawl I2, re-

spectively, said plates being fixed to said head I by screws 2 I. The flanges I8, I9 are countersunk in one side of the ratchet wheel I and pawl I2, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, and the keeper plates 20, are countersunk in the other, front side, of said head. The pawl I2 is provided at the rear side of the head with an axial stud 23 on which a handle 24 is fixed by a pin 25 for Setting said pawl at the rear side of the head I.

A tubular pilot sleeve 21 extends through the opening 8 in the ratchet wheel I0, axially thereof, and which is of the proper size to fit over a bolt, such as previously mentioned, to guide the head I over a nut. The pilot sleeve 21 is slidably mounted for movement transversely of the head 1 and pole I. For this purpose a tubular housing 28 for said sleeve, having a circumferential front flange 29, is secured by said flange and screws 30 to the rear side of the head I coaxially of the opening 8, said housing 28 having an annular front end wall 3|, and a screw cap 32 on its rear end having an annular rear wall 33, said sleeve being slidable forwardl and rearwardly in said walls. A stop collar 34 on said sleeve 21 within the housing 28 is adapted to engage the front wall 3| to limit forward sliding of said sleeve 2?. A helical expansion spring 35 in the housing 28 and surrounding the sleeve 27 backs said stop collar and urges the pilot sleeve 21 forwardly into its limits of forward movement in which its front end extends forwardly of the front side or face of the head 'I a short distance, so that said end is normally visible in the normal position of said sleeve. The screw cap 32 is knurled to facilitate turning the same onto and off the housing 28. A grease plug I is provided in the head I.

The means for attaching the described unit 4 to the pole I comprises a cap sleeve 31 fitted over a conventional ferrule 35 on the end 3 of pole I, forming part of the pole equipment, and a transverse bolt 38 extending through said cap sleeve 31, ferrule 35 and end 3 with a wing nut 39 thereon. The cap sleeve 31 i provided with a pair of laterally spaced, apertured, end cars 40, M and the shank 5 is provided at its end 6 with a fiat-sided enlargement 42 fitting between said ears 4!], M and pivoted thereto by a removable bolt 43 so that the axis of the ratchet wheel 8 and pilot sleeve 2! are transverse to the axis of the pole I and said unit 4 is swingable on the pole I into different angular positions. Preferably the-ears 46, II are spaced apart so that the wrench unit 4 is offset on the pole I in a forward direction, as regard its front side or face, to facilitate placing said unit close to a cross-arm, or the like, and at least one of the cars is firmly reinforced to withstand strain when the pole is rotated by means of the wrench unit 4 in a manner and for a purpose presently explained.

Referring now to the use and operation of my invention, as shown in Figure 1, with the pole I positioned upright for use of the socket wrench 2 for turning, for instance, an underarm nut 50, the wrench attachment 4 may be swung into a substantially right angle position relative to the pole I for use as a crank in rotating the pole I to operate the socket wrench 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 11, for turning a nut 5I on a projecting bolt 52 on the cross-arm 53, the pole I may be inverted and with the wrench unit 4 dropped downwardly into a limit of movement established by engagement of the shank 5 with the end of the cap sleeve 31, and the head I facing the cross-arm 53, the ratchet wheel may be guided over the nut 5I by inserting the pilot sleeve 2? over the bolt 52 and pressing the head 'I toward the cross-arm 53 until the nut 5| slides into the opening II. During this operation, the pilot sleeve 21 will slide rearwardly in opposition to the spring 35 to permit the nut 5| to enter said opening II. The pole I may then be operated with an up and down movement to operate the wrench unit 4 with a vertical pumping, or oscillating, action for turning the nut on or off the bolt 52 according to the setting of the pawl I2, said setting being indicated by legends On; Off marked on the rear face or side of the head 'I. When pressure of the head I toward the cross-arm 53 is relieved, the spring 35 will slide the pilot sleeve back to normal position to push the nut 55 out of the opening II. As will be apparent, the pilot sleeve 2? will operate as, described with any length of bolt 52 projecting out of the nut 5i. Also, as will be clear, the pivot bolt 43 may be removed and the wrench unit 4 detached from the cap sleeve 3] and pole I so that said wrench unit 4 may be used as an independent ratchet wrench with the shank 5 providing a handle therefor.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suifice to impart a clear understanding of my invention and the advantages thereof, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a pole, of a ratchet wrench unit on one end thereof including a ratchet wheel having an axial opening therein adapted to fit over a nut on a bolt projecting at one end out of the nut, the axis of said wheel being transverse to the pole, and said end of the pole having a transverse member therein on which said unit is swingable in a plane parallel with the pole at an angle thereto whereby endwise movement of the pole will oscillate said unit to turn a nut over which said opening is fitted.

2. The combination according to claim 1, a housing on one side of said unit, and a pilot sleeve slidably mounted in said housing coaxially of said opening for projection out of said opening to fit over the projecting end of the bolt to guide said opening over said nut.

ABRAHAM J. DUERKSEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 956,334 Gallon Apr. 26, 1910 1,183,230 Perkins May 16, 1916 1,654,319 Brown Dec. 27, 1927 1,677,473 Gast July 17, 1928 

